


A Little Brighter

by DoctorQui



Series: walking 'cross the campus [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Genji is a lil shit but he tries, Hanzo is a salty math major, M/M, McCree is a history major who doesn't know what he's doing, Overwatch Secret Santa, bonus points to anyone who can guess what school i based the location off of lmao, gabe is floor mother, jack is a terrible RA, theyre dating and disgustingly cute together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 19:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9007288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorQui/pseuds/DoctorQui
Summary: Jesse McCree and Hanzo Shimada have been dancing around each other for months now. They're good friends, but scared to take a step further. When Hanzo suddenly turns more distant than usual, Jesse's there to help.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Translations for the Spanish at the end!

Whatever strange force dictated Jesse McCree’s study habits was one cruel mistress. Having procrastinated in just about any way possible for the past week, Jesse found himself starting his two hundred page reading at around ten o’clock the day before it was due. He prided himself on being a quick study, not to mention a master skimmer, but this would be no easy task. With a textbook as thick and dense as the one weighing down his lap, it’d take him a few days _at least_ to do this properly.

 

“Damn fuckin’ French. Why can’t their history jus’ be simple. Shit’s my major and I still don’t understand…” he muttered under his breath. He turned the page and groaned, seeing another long passage with no pictures to break it up. Maybe he should give up and just go ask Amélie about it. Then again, he’d have more luck asking a rattlesnake to take his midterms.

 

Jesse’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud _thump_ from the hallway, followed by rapid fire conversation in a language he couldn’t quite place. Mandarin? Korean? Japanese? Yeah, Japanese, that was it--he could recognize the swears. The rapid slew of words was halted by another voice, still speaking Japanese, though much gruffer in tone.

 

There were only two people who would stand outside his door at this time of night bickering in Japanese.

 

Shutting his book with a sigh and a weary glare at the clock, Jesse stood up and stretched briefly before swinging open the door. Two pairs of eyes immediately shot towards him, one narrowing in annoyance and the other lighting up in excitement.

 

Genji Shimada broke the impromptu staring contest first and laughed, the sound echoing through the hallway. “Ah, Jesse! We didn’t wake you up, right? Oh, who am I kidding, you’ve always slept like a rock.” The corners of his eyes crinkled with his smile, scarred skin stretching.

 

Hanzo Shimada, on the other hand, was much less amused. _“Genji,”_ he warned, tone dark. “We are not done speaking.” He crossed his arms, staring down at his brother menacingly.

 

“Come on now fella, no need to be so harsh.” Jesse stepped forward and laid a hand on each of the Shimadas’ shoulders. “Your bickerin’ is gonna wake up the whole damn buildin’ anyhow.”

 

Hanzo shrugged him off, snorting derisively. With one last glare at both him and Genji, he turned and stalked off down the hall. Jesse turned to Genji with an eyebrow raised, but he merely shrugged in response.

 

“He’s touchy today. Don’t know what it’s all about, but he’s been starting fights with me over nothing.”

 

“Genji-kun, he’s _always_ doin’ that.”

 

“Yeah, well, more than usual.” Genji crossed his arms and looked down. All the tension built up in his shoulders fled, his posture deflating as if he were a balloon someone had let go of.

 

Jesse nudged him with his shoulder, a small grin playing at his lips. “Hey now, don’tcha get all down on me. Somethin’s on his mind, that’s for sure, but when ain’t there? He’ll tell you in time.”

 

“Are you sure?” Genji glanced up, eyes hopeful.

 

“Well, I reckon Hanzo always comes around, one way or another.” Jesse took a step back, swinging back and forth on the balls of his feet while he thought. Hanzo was definitely the more _difficult_ of the two brothers, but that didn’t make him bad company. He just needed some prodding sometimes, and lord knew if anyone was good at persistance, it was Jesse McCree.

 

Genji looked back down for a moment and held a hand to his chin.“I suppose you are right,” he sighed, giving in, “I will simply have to be patient. Now, have you seen my hair dye? I redyed yesterday but I want to make sure I have enough for when it runs out.”

 

\---

 

Let it be known that Jesse was a man of good, albeit questionable, tastes. Thus, it was perfectly normal that he was up at three in the morning making quesadillas in the floor kitchen. Feeling lazy, and not wanting to risk waking anyone up, he decided that just stuffing the tortillas with cheese and popping them in the microwave was good enough for his late night snack.

 

The low, calming drone was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps and the kitchen door swinging open. Jesse snapped his gaze to the door and found himself face to face with one Gabriel Reyes, resident floor mother and exasperated literature major.

 

 _“Que es esto? Tu cocinas como un principiante. Vale, cabrón, tu lo sabes mejor que esto,”_ he chided, crossing his arms and making his way over towards the microwave. He peeked in and wrinkled his face in disgust before straightening back up and raising a single eyebrow at Jesse.

 

_“Oye, callate Gabi. Yo como a deshora como siempre.”_

 

_“Y como siempre, es asqueroso. Bueno, eso no me concierne.”_

 

Jesse barked a laugh at that and leaned further against the countertop. Gabe was far more caring than he’d ever admit, right down to eating habits. Damn good at making sure he kept everyone healthy, too. Made one wonder why he couldn’t rub off more on his boyfriend, Jack, who was the actual RA for their floor. It wasn’t that Jack didn’t care at all, far from it, but he was just so terrible at making sure people actually _listened._

 

The microwave beeped, ending Jesse’s thoughts. He retrieved the steaming quesadillas and grinned, all the while ignoring Gabe’s very pointedly disgusted expression. Jesse simply flipped him off and made his way to a table.

 

Gabe responded by flipping him off in kind before moving to exit the room, seemingly done with their late night conversation.

 

Jesse sighed and bit into a quesadilla. Nothing compared to back home, but hell, he’d take what he could get. At least it was warm, familiar food. Rain pounded lightly at the window, calming him further. Warm food and a room to curl up in during a storm? That was a luxury he’d never turn down.

 

Before he could reflect too much, however, his thoughts were once again interrupted by shuffling footsteps. He whipped around, prepared to cuss Gabe right out of the building, but the words died on his tongue when he saw Hanzo Shimada. He held a kettle in one hand, a mug and box of tea in the other, and wordlessly scuffled towards the stove. His eyes were underscored with heavy bags, mouth pressed in a thin line.

 

Jesse simply nodded at him. He could recognize sleeplessness when he saw it and knew Hanzo needed his space.

 

The two spent a few minutes together in silence while Hanzo’s tea brewed. The soft patter of rain on the window and low lighting in the kitchen emphasized the companionable quiet. Eventually the kettle blew, and Hanzo settled into the seat directly across from Jesse with his hands wrapped around his mug.

 

Jesse looked up at him slowly, taking a deep breath. He was gorgeous, as always, but something about the late hour gave Hanzo an ethereal quality. The way the moon reflected off his bangs, the kitchen lights’ gleam on his high cheeks, the soft huff he breathed into his tea.

 

It reminded him of the night they first met, all those months ago. Genji and Jesse were in the common room, the former eating while the latter plucked away at his guitar. It was in this quiet shared space that he first appeared--hallway light surrounding him like a halo, directly contrasting the frustrated scowl he wore.

 

Genji had jumped up to meet him immediately, of course, dinner forgotten. Despite the fact that they lived on the same floor, Hanzo had yet to join him for a meal--hell, he hadn’t even met Jesse yet.

 

Jesse, whose jaw had fallen to the floor.

 

Jesse, who couldn’t believe the brother who had fucked up his best friend’s life was the same _beautiful_ man standing before him.

 

Jesse, who was interrupted from his flashback by Hanzo gently clearing his throat and waving a hand in front of him. Jesse snapped to attention and immediately gave Hanzo a wide grin to assure him he was paying attention.

 

Hanzo responded with a roll of his eyes and took another sip of his tea. “You are...surprisingly quiet today,” he commented, voice drawn low. “It is nice.”

 

“Well, darlin’, contrary to popular belief I _do_ know when to shut my big ol’ mouth. You seemed tired. Can talk ‘bout it if you want.”

 

“No, it is nothing worth speaking about.” Hanzo paused a moment, as if debating something, before slowly laying a hand on Jesse’s forearm and giving him a small, wistful smile. “Thank you for the concern, though. It is appreciated.”

 

Though Jesse swore the whole building could hear his heart doing flips, he said nothing, responding in kind with a nod and another smile. They stayed like that for awhile, Hanzo sipping his tea and Jesse munching on his quesadillas while the rain tapped a smooth, steady rhythm around them.

 

\---

 

It rained all through the night and into the next day, well into the afternoon. As a man raised in the desert, he would take any rainfall he could get, but the cold that accompanied it wasn’t exactly as welcome. He huddled further into his coat, serape tucked around his neck to keep in any and all warmth he had left. Focused so intently on making it through the freezing rain as fast as possible, Jesse didn’t watch where he was going until he ran smack dab into someone else, the both of them stumbling back with a yelp.

 

Luckily for him, the someone he had run into was a very familiar Japanese man.

 

“Oh, Han! Fancy seein’ you here. Where you headed to in this kinda weather? Don’t suppose you got a class this late.” Jesse pulled his hood back slightly and blinked rain out of his eyes. It wasn’t _storming,_ per se, but it was heavy enough to impede his vision.

 

“I’m on my way to practice. Thus the case and arrows, though I suppose if you missed me walking you would not notice them either.” Hanzo shot back, a smug grin spreading on his face as he held up the items in question.

 

Jesse raised an eyebrow. “Well, I bet you’re mighty handy with that bow, but in this weather? Seems like you’re fresh outta luck, fella.”

 

“The range is indoors, cowman. With the frequency of rain here it would be folly to only practice outside. That being said...perhaps you would wish to accompany me? That way I can prove I am indeed ‘handy’ with my bow, as you put it.” Hanzo’s grin turned sly, his eyes glinting with challenge.

 

And Jesse was never one to back down from a challenge.

 

“Sounds like a deal to me.”

 

The two wandered down towards the university’s indoor archery range, finding it (unsurprisingly) empty. Jesse took up residence on a bench while Hanzo strung his bow and set up on the shooting line.

 

The range wasn’t the most well-kept, but it was certainly well loved. A row of ten targets covered the far wall, eighteen feet away from the shooting line marked in red tape. The targets themselves were falling apart in the middle, styrofoam and newspaper stuffing spilling out onto the ground. Old paper targets stuck out of the trash can at odd angles while new ones sat affixed to the corners of the targets, awaiting their inevitable ruin. A spider web ran along the shelves above Jesse’s head, interconnecting corners that likely hadn’t seen use in years.

 

Ignoring the range’s ramshackle nature, Jesse kept his eyes on Hanzo. He watched as Hanzo stretched his arms, warming up quickly and easily before picking up his bow. The bow itself was quite beautiful, but couldn’t hold a candle to its owner.

 

Hanzo reached to his side for an arrow and withdrew it, twirling it quickly between his middle and ring finger before firmly notching it to the string. He set his grip on the bow, pulling lightly on the string before lifting it up fully. He took a deep breath, pulling the string back as he did so, anchoring his hand under his chin and pressing the string into his nose. He focused a moment longer, eyes trained in front of him and shoulders stretching, before letting the string simply slip through his fingers. The arrow flew faster than Jesse could follow, landing with a satisfying _thwack_ in the upper right portion of the inner red ring. Hanzo grunted his frustration, taking a moment to fiddle with his sight before repeating the process once more.

 

Jesse took the moment to watch the way Hanzo’s body moved with the bow. His hips planted firmly, feet unmoving. His shoulders moving and stretching, pushing into each other like the earth creating a mountain. The intense expression in his eyes, the slight crinkle and downturn of his lips as they kissed the string. The satisfied smirk he held when the arrow flew once more, this time hitting gold.

 

Jesse sighed without realizing, prompting a questioning noise from Hanzo himself.

 

“Oh, uh,” he fumbled, “Nothin’! Jus’ lookin’ around.”

 

Hanzo turned back to the bow, seemingly satisfied with his answer and focused once more. Jesse let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

 

After emptying his quiver, Hanzo took a moment to stretch, putting a hand to the back of his neck. “Clear,” he called out habitually, making his way down the range to retrieve his arrows.

 

Jesse scrambled to his feet to follow him. He whistled as they approached the target, taken with the neat collection of arrows concentrated in the gold ring. “Mighty fine work there, Han. You proved yourself right quick.”

 

“But of course,” Hanzo scoffed in response. “I am not one to disappoint when expectations are so high.”

 

Jesse nudged him with his shoulder, chuckling lightly at the comment. He sobered after a moment, deep in thought as Hanzo pulled the arrows out of the target methodically. “Say, Hanzo, I got a question for you. Recently you’ve seemed kinda...down. Don’t wanna pry, but s’enough to make a man worry.”

 

“I assure you I have no idea what you’re speaking of,” Hanzo’s response came quickly and tightly, tension rising in his shoulders. He never was a good liar, no matter how much he held his emotions down.

 

“Han,” Jesse stepped forward, a warning in his voice, “You and I both know that’s a load of bullshit. I’m jus’ tryin’ to help. Don’t you trust me?”

 

“It is not an issue of trust, McCree, it is a matter of privacy. A matter that you have nothing to do with,” Hanzo spat, shoving his collected arrows in the quiver and turning on his heel.

 

Jesse followed after him, frown deepening. “Don’t matter that it’s not my problem, it _becomes_ my problem when it’s buggin’ you so much. I don’t like to see my friends so down in the dumps. You understand that, yeah?”

 

“I understand, but it does not make you any less _annoying.”_

 

“Well maybe if you weren’t so damn closed off I wouldn’t be annoyin’ you about this!” Jesse settled his hands on his hips, standing square in front of Hanzo. He wouldn’t let him derail the conversation by starting up practice again--they were too deep into it now.

 

“Maybe if you minded your own business you wouldn’t be so annoying,” he pointed an arrow, notch-end, toward Jesse. “Let me be. I did not invite you here so that you could interrupt my practice.”

 

“Well like it or not, here I am, and I’m not movin’ until you let me know what’s up.” Jesse crossed his arms, unmoving. He’d been patient before, but his worry had grown too great to ignore. Hanzo was the type to suffer in silence, and Jesse didn’t intend on letting that happen anymore.

 

Hanzo glared for another moment before sighing and putting the arrow back. He slunk over towards the benches, collapsing where Jesse had been sitting only a few minutes prior.

 

“Fine. Since you are so...insistent _.”_ He placed his elbows on his knees, interlocking his hands over them. “You remember the car crash, yes? The one Genji got...the one _I_ got Genji into?” Hanzo bit his lip, looking down. “The anniversary is next week. Around this time of year, I start remembering--it is foolish, I know, but I cannot help it.”

 

“Oh, Han,” Jesse breathed, moving forward to kneel in front of Hanzo. “That ain’t foolish. Not one bit, darlin’. I know it’s been hard for you. That’s all the more reason why you gotta share stuff like this, though. Ain’t no reason to be handlin’ it alone. Especially since Genji-kun forgave you ages ago.” He held out a hand to cup Hanzo’s cheek softly, keeping his grip loose.

 

“I am aware. It is simply...shameful, for me. In many ways.” Hanzo looked down, a few tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. After a moment he looked up, eyes shining and soft as they met Jesse’s. “Again, I--I appreciate this. I appreciate _you,_ Jesse.”

 

Jesse took a sharp breath and felt his heart stop. If Hanzo was beautiful normally, and gorgeous last night, he was absolutely _stunning_ in this moment. Without another thought, Jesse leaned forward, capturing his lips in a soft kiss.

 

It only took him a moment to realize what he had just done. He recoiled and jumped back from Hanzo, but didn’t get far. Before he could begin babbling apologies, Hanzo’s hands were wrapped in his shirt, tugging him forward.

 

“Do you know,” he breathed, the air ghosting over Jesse’s lips, “how damn _long_ I’ve waited to do that? For someone who prides himself on finding small details, you are certainly dense, Jesse McCree.”

 

Jesse laughed, breathless, euphoric, and leaned in to kiss him again in lieu of a response. Hanzo seemed not to mind, wrapping his arms around Jesse’s neck and reciprocating with fervor.

 

They stayed there for a few minutes, trading kisses and laughter, sickly sweet in their affections. They likely would have stayed for longer, but they were unfortunately cut off by the range lights going black. Jesse drew back first, glancing upwards in shock. Hanzo, on the other hand, merely laughed, the sound of it like music to Jesse’s ears.

 

“Right shame about your practice, Han. Sorry I distracted you,” he nosed at Hanzo’s neck, placing a light kiss there. He was treated with a soft sigh for his efforts, Hanzo’s arms tightening briefly around his neck.

 

“Well, I suppose I can practice another day. Perhaps it is time to return to the dorms for now?” Hanzo grinned against Jesse’s temple.

 

“Sounds like a plan, darlin’.” Reluctantly, Jesse stood and turned on his phone flashlight so they could see properly. He waited patiently as Hanzo packed away his bow, offering his arm as they approached the door.

 

Hanzo raised an eyebrow at him, but Jesse simply grinned.

 

“Lemme be a gentleman, doll. Seems only right.”

 

Shaking his head with a fond smile, Hanzo threaded his arm with Jesse’s and the two of them strode out the door. They were in for yet another surprise when they exited the building to find the ground coated in a thin layer of white.

 

“Well, would you look at that.” Jesse remarked, eyes sparkling. Campus was like an entirely different world now, soft patches of snow catching on trees and roofs to turn the place they were so familiar with into a beautiful winter wonderland. People milling about threw snowballs at each other playfully, others rolling up snowmen or making angels. A few blocks away, students poured out of the dorms to celebrate the rare occurrence.

 

Jesse’s eyes roamed the mountains and valleys that had accumulated during the few short hours they were inside in wonder. He’d never seen snowfall before--made sense, seeing as how he was born and raised in a desert. He turned to Hanzo, hoping to catch a glimpse of his reaction, but Hanzo hadn’t even noticed the snow. He was staring at Jesse instead, eyes soft and twinkling in the streetlight. Jesse quickly flushed at the realization that he had captured Hanzo’s full attention.

 

“Come on then, Jesse. We can’t enjoy the weather if you’re going to be stuck standing here all day,” Hanzo prodded gently, nudging at his elbow with a grin.

 

Jesse grinned at him, a warm puff of air materializing in the air between them. “I’ll gladly go anywhere you want me to, honey, as long as you’re goin’ with me.”

 

With a light punch to his shoulder for the embarrassing comment, Hanzo set forward, dragging Jesse through the snow.

 

Maybe Jesse could help Hanzo make some new memories for this time of year.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading! This was originally a Secret Santa gift for the lovely [Lauren Taylor](http://lauren-n-taylor.tumblr.com/)! However, as you may have noticed, it is now part of a series. I kind of grew super attached to this AU and just kept writing, so now there's a lot more of it. Like, 7 parts more. I'm a gay college student let me live my life.
> 
> A huge huge huge thank you to the ever lovely [Mango](http://archiveofourown.org/users/MalevolentMango), my wonderful beta who brightens the fic and makes sure I don't italicize the whole damn thing <3
> 
> Happy Holidays!
> 
> Translations for Gabe and Jesse's conversation:  
> “Que es esto? Tu cocinas como un principiante. Vale, cabrón, tu lo sabes mejor que esto,” What is this? You cook like a beginner. Come on, asshole, you know better than that.
> 
> “Oye, callate Gabi. Yo como a deshora como siempre.” Hey, shut up Gabi. I’m eating late like always.
> 
> “Y como siempre, es asqueroso. Bueno, eso no me concierne.” And like always, it’s disgusting. Whatever, it doesn’t concern me.


End file.
